Romance Themes Challenge: Xander and Madison
by Mandee1
Summary: PRMF. My responses to the Ars Amatoria challenge revolving around Xander and Madison.
1. One Moment I

**Disclaimer:** If you recognize it, I don't own it.

**A/N:** These are responses to the Ars Amatoria Romance Themes. I've read other responses to the challenge and I thought it would be fun to write my own. It's still early in the series, but Xander and Madison are quickly becoming my favorite pairing. I don't know how far this will go, but I hope everyone enjoys it! And of course, reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome.

**One Moment I**

Sometimes it only takes one moment for a person's feelings towards someone else to change.

Madison Rocca had discovered that to be true about Xander Bly, a student from Australia. He had lived in the States for seven years, but their paths never crossed. He was a grade above her and they didn't have classes together in junior high. They had different friends and hung out at different places. She quickly learned who he was - he became popular almost overnight - and while she wasn't oblivious to his good looks, she didn't chase him, either. Besides, he was busy flirting with and dating the popular girls in school, and Madison wasn't one of them.

But on the first day of her sophomore year, he sat next to her in anatomy class, a course designed for all grade levels. She wasn't sure why he picked her as his lab partner, and she didn't ask. They became friends through idle chatter before class and during dissections although they never hung out after school or on weekends.

The first time Madison saw him outside of school surprised her with an unusual but pleasant discovery.

She was at the food store late one afternoon, picking up some ingredients for her mother, who was going to cook a homemade dinner that night. She had been walking down the spice aisle, looking for garlic, when her cart bumped into someone else's. Looking up, she was stunned to see her Australian classmate pushing the other carriage. A petite old lady with curly grey hair and glasses was holding his arm.

"I'm sorry," Madison apologized, color rising in her cheeks. "I wasn't looking."

"It's okay, Madison," Xander reassured her with a grin. "We were distracted, too. This is Mrs. Doherty, by the way. She lives next door to me."

The two teenagers chatted for a minute before Xander walked away to find one last item on Mrs. Doherty's shopping list. The woman stayed behind and spoke with delight in her voice, "Your friend has been taking such good care of me since my husband passed away. He's come over to my house every day after school to keep me company. He's such a sweet young man."

Madison's heart completely melted at Mrs. Doherty's explanation. Xander was a flirt, a sweet-talker. He didn't strike her as the type of guy to give up free time to keep elderly people company, yet here he was, food shopping with Mrs. Doherty.

The shy teen turned around and saw Xander approaching them. He offered his elbow to the old woman, said good-bye to Madison, and guided Mrs. Doherty to the front of the store. He exuded gentleness, politeness, and patience. She was sure no one at school saw this side of him.

From that point on, Madison saw Xander in a new light. She had developed a crush on him in the month or so that they were lab partners, but it grew deeper that day. It wasn't love, but it was an affection, a sense of respect and admiration, that she had never felt for any other guy before.

And one moment in the food store was all it had taken.


	2. One Moment II

**Disclaimer: **If you recognize it, I don't own it.

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it. I wrote this sort of as a follow up of the first chapter. I hope you enjoy!

One Moment II

Xander had always been aware of Madison's existence, but they never came in contact with each other. He occasionally passed her in the hallway at school although he never pursued her. Why should he chase someone who showed no interest in him when dozens of girls would go out with him at the drop of a hat?

The first day of his junior year of high school, he was surprised to see that Madison was in his anatomy class. He hadn't really chosen her as his lab partner; everyone else in the classroom had already had a partner, or the people who were left had reputations of being lazy students. He wasn't a genius, but he wasn't an academic failure, either. So he sat next to her, and from that first class period, he knew that he had been stupid in not bothering to talk to her before. She had a certain air about her, a quiet confidence, and even though she was shy, Xander knew she was special.

The moment he truly became attracted to her came during a dissection period halfway through first marking period. They were dissecting a fetal pig, and after they had managed to expose the inner organs, they had to remove the liver from the rest of the body. Madison had volunteered to work with the scalpel, and Xander read directions from their lab books and carefully watched her actions.

"Make sure you don't cut the organ itself; just cut around it," he advised her as she slowly cut the innards of the pig.

Madison finally succeeded in cutting the liver away from the rest of the body. "Got it," she exclaimed proudly, setting the scalpel down in the dissecting pan. She reached into the pig's body to pull out the separated organ, but because it was immersed in bodily fluids and her gloves were smooth latex material, the liver flew out of her hand and landed on their teacher's desk in front of them. Mr. Goldberg clearly was annoyed, but Xander and Madison were highly amused.

And as they stood together, holding their stomachs and doubling over in laughter, he became hooked on her. It was by far the weirdest experience he shared with a girl, but it was also the most special. For once, he wasn't the one to win the girl over; she had succeeded in winning him over. It was all due to one temporary lapse of coordination.

Who knew that the formaldehyde the dead animals were soaked in could be such an aphrodisiac?


	3. Closer

**Disclaimer:** If you recognize it, I don't own it.

**A/N:** Sorry it's been a little long. School is getting stressful. But thanks to everyone who keeps reviewing, I appreciate it!

**Closer**

"Excuse me? Can you help me find a CD?" Xander asked the nearest female employee of Rock Porium. She had her back to him, alphabetizing a bunch of magazines on a bookshelf. He was confused when the girl turned around and he saw Madison's face. "Hey. You work here?"

With a shy smile, Madison nodded. "Yeah. I've been working here since the summer."

Xander was surprised. They had been getting closer after being in anatomy together for almost an entire school year, but there was obviously some things he still didn't know about her. Rock Porium wasn't a store he regularly went to, anyway, so unless she told him, he wouldn't have known she worked there. "Seems like a fun place to work. How do you like it?"

"I like it. Our boss Toby is a little wacky, but he's a good guy."

The Australian glanced around the store. Another girl stood behind a set of turntables in a corner, and a redhead boy was running around using a broomstick for a sword. Xander recognized the girl as Madison's sister Vida, but he had no idea who the other teenager was. "That's good. I, uh, I'm looking for a CD for my mother. Can you help me?"

"Of course." Madison set the magazines aside. "What CD are you looking for?"

Scratching the back of his head, Xander gave her a helpless look. "I'm not sure, exactly. It's for her birthday, and my dad just bought her a new CD player for her car. I thought I'd get her a CD, but I have no idea what she would like."

Madison let out a soft giggle. "Well, that sure makes it easy. Come here, I'll show you what we have."

Xander followed his classmate over to the CD stands. She pointed out the different genres of CD's they had, but he still felt like he was at a loss. His mother had never been interested in a variety of music groups – not American ones, anyway. When he told her that, she grinned.

"Well," she began as she pulled two CD's off the shelf, "these are two of _my_ mother's favorite bands. Journey and Heart."

He took the two items from her and read the list of songs on each disc. After giving it a moment of thought, he looked back up at her and flashed her a trademark grin. "Which one do you like better?"

"I'd go with Heart," she replied, pointing to the CD in his left hand.

"Okay. I'll take this then."

His lab partner put the other CD away and led him to the cash register. As she rang up the CD, he noticed a sign hanging behind the desk that read, _Now Hiring. Several Positions Available._

"Can I have a job application?" Xander surprised himself when he said those words; the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. Then again, he usually always spoke without thinking. But he had never had a job before, and he knew it would hinder his social life. Madison handed him an application, though, and he couldn't say he suddenly changed his mind.

"You really wanna work here?" she asked. She looked surprised, too, but she also seemed hopeful.

The Australian hesitated. Did he really want to work at Rock Porium? Well, he'd be earning extra money, which was always a good thing. And plenty of kids his age shopped at the store. If he was going to get a job, it would be a lot better if it was at a place where other high school students hung out. Not to mention it would be a good way to get closer to Madison outside of school.

"Yeah. I think I'd like working here with you." He exchanged a smile with her before she looked down at her shoes, blushing. Xander thought she was adorable when she acted shy.

He left the CD store that day desperately hoping he'd land a job.


	4. Time

**Disclaimer**: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

**A/N**: Sorry it's been so long, but I hope you enjoy the next installment! Thanks for everyone who's been reviewing – feedback is always appreciated.

**Time**

Smiling to herself, Madison panned her camera around Rock Porium, filming her friends and coworkers. It was what she usually did at work: capture her friends on camera while occasionally pretending she was being productive.

Madison had been excited when Toby, her boss at Rock Porium, hired Xander. The time she got to spend with him now lasted longer than forty minutes, and it was nice to be able to talk to him in a more relaxed environment. They might have been at work, technically, but more than half the time, none of the employees actually worked.

However, it didn't take long for Madison to figure out that Xander's personality in school was the same as it was at work. He was extremely friendly, especially to female customers, and he succeeded in getting at least one girl's phone number by the end of each week. She didn't like to admit it, but it hurt. While she admired the friendship they had, she often wondered why he didn't act flirty with her. Did he think she wasn't good enough to receive special attention from him? Was it because he honestly wasn't interested in her and he actually respected her enough to not lead her on? Even if he didn't like her, her romantic interest in him grew as they spent more time together. And the deeper her feelings got for him, the more those kind of thoughts plagued her mind.

Madison let out a laugh as her twin sister stepped in front of the camera and made a funny face. "Hey, sis," the shier girl said,turning off the power on her camera."What's up?"

"I need your help rearranging some CD's."

Agreeing, Madison followed Vida to the CD racks. Unfortunately, Xander stood not more than ten feet away from the CDs, flirting with one of the most popular girls at Briarwood High School. What was even more unfortunate was that Vida noticed Madison throwing wary looks in their direction.

Not more than five minutes had passed when Vida turned her shoulder to see what Madison was watching. The more outspoken girl let out a laugh. "Oh, please tell me you are not jealous of that blonde bimbo."

"Of course not," Madison replied, shaking her head. Her twin sister liked to pretend she tuned out the rest of the world when she put her headphones on, but Vida could become quite attentive to her surroundings while behind the turntables. She picked up a CD that had been put under the wrong genre. "I'm just…I-"

Before the quieter Rocca girl could defend herself, Vida gasped and grinned gleefully. "You like him, don't you?"

"I never said that," Madison protested quickly.

"Yeah, but you do. No wonder why you've actually been happy about coming to work lately."

Madison shook her head at her sister. "I should have known you'd catch on eventually." Vida wasn't a hopeless romantic, but she wasn't oblivious to the occurrences in Madison's life.

Picking up a misplaced CD, Vida frowned. "Do you wanna know my opinion?"

"Not really, but I know you'll say it anyway," Madison replied, the hint of a smile in her voice.

Vida glanced back at the Australian before she spoke to Madison again. "Look, Xander's obviously not looking for a commitment. If he was, he'd stop jumping from girl to girl. He's a good friend, but if you're looking for something more than friendship with him, you're wasting your time." With that, she walked away towards her turn tables and left Madison to herself.

Leaning against the CD rack, Madison sighed. That wasn't what she wanted to hear, but her sister was right. Xander hadn't had one steady girlfriend since he moved to Briarwood, and he didn't show any signs of wanting to change that. She was just wasting her time. He wasn't waiting around for one person; why should she?

Looking over at where Xander stood, she saw that he was still talking to the "blonde bimbo." She frowned. Madison wasn't a girl who fell for boys easily, but she had chosen Briarwood's most eligible teenage bachelor. Maybe it wasn't the best choice she'd ever made.

The blonde girl left a few moments later. When Xander turned around, he caught her eye and winked. Madison couldn't help but blush and laugh as she turned to walk behind the counter.

Maybe falling for him wasn't such a bad idea. He may have been a flirt, and he may have been stuck in a 'I need to date every female in Briarwood' phase for years, but Madison would wait a little longer for him too grow out of it. It wasn't time to give up on him just yet.


	5. Take My Hand

**Disclaimer: **If you recognize it, I don't own it.

**A/N:** Well, it's been awhile, but I hope everyone enjoys the next chapter. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far; feedback is always appreciated!

**Take My Hand**

Madison's heart raced and her breathing was accelerated as her feet smacked the pavement. There was something relaxing and peaceful about jogging outdoors. She normally ran on her mother's treadmill in their basement, but the spring weather was too nice to waste. The temperature had finally risen to the mid-sixties, giving Madison the motivation to go to the park in Briarwood and jog laps around the track.

When she grew tired of running, she slowed down to a walk and strolled outside the confines of the track. Briarwood's park was bumbling with activity. Several groups of teenagers were playing basketball or baseball or football. Younger kids were throwing pieces of bread at ducklings on the lake, and parents were pushing children on swingsets. Madison stopped to sit on a bench and take in her surroundings. It would have been a fun scene to film on camera, a change from her coworkers at Rock Porium who normally comprised most of the footage she shot. She was contemplating returning home to retrieve her videocamera when someone called her name.

"Hey, Madison! What are you doing here?"

The accent was all too recognizable. Madison looked up and saw Xander smiling down at her, carrying a skateboard and donning a black helmet and elbow pads. She grinned back. "I just finished jogging some laps. How about you?"

He gestured to his skateboard. "My board was getting tired of sitting in the house, and my mom was tired of yelling at me for riding in the living room."

Madison laughed; his passion for skateboarding was one of the first things she had learned about him, and even though he was seventeen, it didn't surprise her that he would try to skateboard in the house. Briarwood didn't have severe winters, but even forty-degree weather was a bit too cold for outdoor activities. She studied the skateboard he was holding – it wasn't the one she remembered him using before winter had arrived. "Is that a new skateboard?"

Nodding proudly, Xander replied, "Yup. I just bought it a couple weeks ago." He hesitated, then his face lit up. "Hey, do you want to try it?"

The shy girl blinked a few times and looked up at him. The question had taken her by surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Skateboarding. Do you want to give it a shot? I'll help you."

Madison looked uncertainly at Xander's skateboard. She had never been interested in sports, and she hardly thought jogging regularly made her an athlete. Vida had always been the athletic sister, until she discovered turntables. "I don't know. I've never been good at sports."

"It's not that hard. And I'll be right here with you. And I'm a good teacher. Don't you trust me?"

As Madison spent more time with Xander, she found it harder to resist his charm, especially the innocent, pleading looks he gave when he wanted something. He gave her one of those looks now, and she knew she wouldn't say no. Plus, she never passed up opportunities to spend time with him alone, so she wasn't going to do it this time. Taking a deep breath, she reluctantly agreed. "Okay. I'll try it."

Her companion grinned and unfastened his helmet. "Great. Here, you might need this." He placed it on her head and helped her adjust it to fit under her chin. Madison had never been superficial, but she was sure she looked silly sporting a male's skateboarding helmet.

"All right, let's start with the basics." Xander held up his board. "This is a skateboard. It's used by standing on it with both feet-"

Madison swatted his arm playfully and interrupted him. "Xander! I'm not an athlete, but I do have common sense."

"I know, I know. I'm just kidding with you," he told her, a teasing grin on his face. He set the board on the ground and stepped on it with his left foot. "Okay, look. If you stand like this, with your left foot forward, it's called regular. But, if you stand with your right foot forward, it's called goofy. Or, you can do a fakie, which is standing regular but riding backwards. Got that?"

"I think so."

Xander laughed, obviously not oblivious to the confusion in her voice – and probably on her face, too. "Well, for now, you can just stand however you're most comfortable," he told her. He continued explaining the art of pushing off the ground and controlling the board.

"And that's all there is to it," Xander concluded as he rode a short distance away from her. "Do you think you can do it?"

"Sure, I guess. As long as you make sure I don't fall."

"Of course. I told you that you could trust me, didn't I?"

Madison nodded. She knew she was probably taking her uncertainties too far, since she wasn't doing anything death-defying, but she also knew skateboarding wasn't as easy as Xander made it seem. The butterflies in her stomach were like the ones she had felt when she and Vida first learned how to ride bikes without training wheels.

Xander set the board on the ground in front of her, and Madison hesitantly positioned one foot on it the way he had showed her. "Don't be too nervous, or else you won't be able to concentrate," he told her. He held out his right hand. "Here, take my hand."

Madison's shaky hand gripped Xander's strong one as she pushed off the ground gingerly and started riding. Just as he'd said, Xander kept holding her hand and walked quickly beside her.

They hadn't gone very far when Madison lost her balance for the first time. She felt herself falling backwards and let out a nervous cry, but her 'teacher' had immediately reached behind her to steady her before she could fall. Once she regained her balance, she stepped off the skateboard.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all right," she answered. She realized she was frustrated at herself for doing poorly, and she was surprised. Somewhere between where they stood now and their starting point ten feet away, she must have decided that she wanted to actually do good at the task. "I told you I'm not cut out for sports, though."

"You're doing fine!" the Australian assured her. He still had an arm wrapped around her and gave her waist a squeeze. He pointed out the things she had done wrong and showed her how to fix them.

After a minute, Madison positioned her foot on the skateboard for the second time. Xander held her hand again, this time also keeping his other arm outstretched in anticipation of another fall. Which was a good thought, because the skateboard hit a bump in the sidewalk after Madison had ridden only a couple of feet. She wobbled on the board for a moment, and it looked like she would regain her balance on her own, but she fell forward. Xander caught her with both arms and held her close to him, helping her get steady on her feet.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly when he released her from his grasp. She knew she was blushing furiously, so she kept her head down and smoothed her shirt to avoid looking at him. When she did glance up at his face, she saw a hint of red fading from his cheeks, too.

Xander waved off the apology and jogged off to retrieve the board, which had continued rolling away. Madison took a moment to catch her breath. She wasn't sure if it was the fall that had left her breathless, or if it was from being tangled in Xander's arms. Maybe it was both.

Madison's third attempt on the skateboard was a lot more successful; Madison managed to ride a much longer distance before she spotted another bump in the sidewalk and quickly jumped off the board to avoid hitting it. Still, having to jump off was better than falling and hurting herself.

"Hey, that was great!" Xander praised her. He picked up the board and grinned at her. "You're almost a pro, Madison. Pretty soon you'll be as good as I am."

Madison rolled her eyes at the cocky comment although she couldn't keep herself from smiling. She wanted to try it again, but a look at her watch told her she needed to go home and get ready for her shift at Rock Porium. "Oh. I better go. I have to be at work in an hour."

"Okay. Come on, I'll walk you home."

The Rocca house was not even ten minutes away from the park, but she gladly accepted. It wasn't until they were standing on Madison's front porch when she realized she had been wearing his helmet the entire way home. Happy that they hadn't run into anyone they knew, she unfastened it and handed it back to him. "Here you go. Thanks."

"Hey, no problem. You know, you were getting really good at the end. Maybe next time I can teach you some tricks."

"I don't know about that," Madison dismissed that idea quickly, "but it was fun."

They exchanged a smile before Xander walked down the porch steps. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm working a late shift at the store, so I'll probably see you there."

"Okay." She waved as he assumed his position on the skateboard. "Bye, Xander."

"Talk to you later. 'Bye, Madison." He waved back, winked, and rode away.

Madison smiled faintly as she watched him skateboard down the street, remembering the events that transpired all of ninety minutes ago. The spontaneous lesson had been fun. And Xander had shown so much dedication and loyalty. He was supportive and encouraging and didn't let her hurt herself. He had been right by her side to catch her each time she fell.

That gave her another thought. She walked through her front door, her head swimming. Sure, he didn't let her hit the concrete. That would just be cruel if he did, and Xander wasn't a cruel person.

But he was a huge flirt, and he loved floating from one girl to the next without committing to anyone in particular. A loyal friend, he was. A loyal romantic companion, he wasn't. As much as she liked him, Madison couldn't deny that fact.

He had caught her when she fell off the skateboard. But would he catch her if she ever fell in love with him?


	6. Yield

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything that you recognize from the show.

**Yield**

"You're wrong, Xander."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!"

A dispute had broken out between Xander and Madison in the middle of Rock Porium while they had been arranging a display case together. They now stood with their arms folded across their chests, eyes firmly set on each other, stern expressions on their faces, refusing to accept that one of them was wrong. Madison wasn't a stubborn girl, but Xander quickly discovered that she would stand her ground if she knew she was right about something. And considering his pigheaded tendencies, it would take awhile for them to settle their disagreement.

In a soft but certain voice, the cameragirl continued. "Xander, I'm telling you, I'm right. I've been working here longer than you have."

"You're not right, Maddy!" Xander was becoming slightly frustrated, but he used her nickname as a way of showing her he wanted to prevent a major argument. "I got the job here, what, two months after you started? Just because you've been working here longer doesn't automatically mean I'm wrong."

"Hey, can you two keep it down?" Chip called from the front desk. Donning a paper crown for heavens knew what reason, he had been busy counting money from the cash register. "I can't concentrate."

"Yeah," Vida interjected from the turntables in the corner. The DJ looked annoyed. She waved her headphones in the air. "I can hardly hear my music over your guys' bickering."

Xander and Madison both knew that wasn't exactly true, but they'd obviously been unaware of how loudly they were arguing.

"Besides," Chip added, "you guys are both wrong. Toby's birthday is June eighteenth, not May or July eighteenth."

Neither Xander nor Madison looked at each other for a moment, the humiliation of defeat hitting them both. Xander scratched the back of his head. _At least we didn't lose to each other,_ he thought in an effort to rid himself of the embarrassment. With flushed cheeks and a sheepish grin, he held out a hand. "I'm sorry. Truce?"

The younger Rocca sister gave a nod and shook his hand. "Truce."

Abandoning the display stand, they walked over to a bookcase that had been left unorganized by a customer. "I wonder how old he is," Madison asked as she tidied a stack of magazines.

Xander shrugged. "I'd say somewhere around thirty-five."

"That old, really?"

"Well, yeah."

"He's not that old. Thirty at the oldest."

"No, he's gotta be a little older than that."

"He's not. I think you're wrong, Xander."

"I am not."

"You are, too."

"I am not!"

And so began another heated discussion in which the two employees refused to yield.

**A/N**: Shorter than the last one, but I wanted to change the pace a little. Also, I haven't mentioned it before, but this and the previous drabbles have all taken place before they became Rangers, in case anyone hasn't caught on. Drabbles revolving around the episodes will begin soon. And thanks to everyone who's been reviewing!


	7. Challenge

**Disclaimer: **I don't own PRMF, blah blah blah.

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! This is set a day or so after the previous drabble and a couple weeks before Broken Spell.

**Challenge**

Thank God Chip called me to ask me to switch shifts with him at work this morning. He wasn't scheduled until three, and I would have gone in at nine-thirty if it wasn't for him. I was in no mood to drag myself into the store that early on this Saturday morning.

I didn't sleep well last night. Which was weird, since the Friday before had been busy and exhausting. School till three, work from four to nine, a late dinner with Madison, Chip, and Vida. I've been hanging out with them a lot ever since I started working with them, especially Madison. Not that I'm complaining; I always enjoy spending time with her. That's how it works, right? You always like being around the people you like.

Anyway, I tossed and turned in bed last night. I've had a lot of stuff on my mind lately. Usually I don't get stressed over school or work or life in general, but this was different. I wasn't stressed about anything – the problem was, I couldn't get Madison out of my mind. How much I missed her when she wasn't around; how much I loved her every playful swat on my arm or jab at my shoulder when I said something goofy; how, whenever I stood next to her, I just wanted to grab her and kiss her….

A little aggressive, maybe. But I'd thought about kissing her plenty of times before. I've even tried a few times, but one time Chip came dancing through the store's storage room, and once when we were hanging out in Madison's bedroom, her sister came barging in without knocking. Even my mom ruined a moment for us. Madison and I had been in my room, studying for a test. I would have grabbed her face and kissed her if my mom didn't come in and force us to go eat dinner with her and my father.

It's funny how a lack of privacy can kill someone's desires in an instant.

I might have been more successful if I'd just asked her on a date instead of immediately attempting to kiss her. Well, that's easier said than done, as people say. At least, that was the case with Madison. It was hard to ask out a girl I genuinely liked. And Madison's difficult. She didn't always notice subtle hints, and I wasn't about to strap a sign around my neck declaring my feelings for her. She didn't respond well to pick-up lines, either. Not that I would try one with her. If I wanted to fail horribly at asking her on a date, I would. If I wanted to her to laugh at me, I would. I didn't want either of those things, obviously. Besides, I couldn't treat Madison like just another girl because she wasn't just another girl to me. I honestly respected her and valued her, and I didn't want her thinking she meant nothing to me.

She was supposed to have worked the morning shift with me, which is part of the reason why I was relieved that Chip wanted to switch our schedules. I think I need a bit of time away from her, to figure out exactly how to approach her without having to worry about being interrupted or scaring her off. It would be a challenge, but I knew I had to come up with something.


	8. The Call

**Disclaimer: **You know how it goes.

**A/N:** Set about a week after the last chapter.

**The Call**

The perfect opportunity for Xander was right under his nose and he hadn't even thought about it.

He'd been so worried about finding the perfect way to approach Madison and how she would react that he missed the most obvious thing.

So the following weekend, right after lunch, he picked up the phone and dialed Madison's number.

A dating novice would have thought of it earlier than he did, but he was relieved when she said yes. She accepted the invitation of a date happily, after she questioned his seriousness and he assured her that he wasn't joking.

He had finally succeeded in getting what he wanted, even if he had to overcome a lapse of common sense to get it.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Snacking on a large chocolate chip cookie, Vida thumbed through the collection of CD's in her bedroom. It had been due for an update for weeks, and she'd finally found the energy to tackle the task. Chip was sitting by her desk, looking up a new video game he wanted to buy on the Internet. He'd come over about an hour ago and had made himself right at home, just as he usually did when he hung out at their house.

But this was the first time he showed up at the Rocca house with no intentions to actually spend time with either of them.

He wanted to be around when Xander dropped Madison off from their date.

The DJ shook her head, remembering how amused he was when he admitted that to her. She didn't know if he'd ever noticed how close Madison and Xander had grown – they always took their breaks alone together, he was at their house at least three days a week, they always offered to help each other with chores at Rock Porium or to run errands together for Toby – but Chip obviously found it funny that Xander had had his eye on Madison for some time. Vida did, too, for that matter, and she was surprised when Madison told her about Xander's phone call. She was concerned about her sister's feelings, though. If a date with Xander would make her happy, she had no right to stop her from going. The older girl was just hoping he wouldn't do something stupid that would hurt her sister.

"They should be getting back soon, don't you think?"

Chip's question shook Vida out of her thoughts. He had finally pried his eyes from the computer and swiveled around in the chair to face her. She checked her watch and saw that it was close to eleven. Xander had picked up Madison at eight, and they were supposed to be seeing an eight-thirty movie. "Probably. The movie shouldn't run more than two hours."

"You think they actually watched the movie?"

The only response was an icy glare shot in his direction. Frowning, he turned back to the computer and didn't say anything else.

Vida was stuffing some outdated CD's in a shoebox when the front door opened and closed. At the sound, Chip immediately swung around in his chair. The teens looked at each other for a moment before jumping out of their seats and scrambling towards Vida's bedroom door.

"Wait!" Vida suddenly stopped in the doorway, causing Chip to bump into her. "We have to be cool; don't let them know we've been waiting for them."

"Right," Chip agreed. "Good idea."

As nonchalantly as possible, they exited the room and made their way towards the kitchen, which required them to pass the front hallway, where Madison and Xander were saying their good-byes.

"Hi, guys," Chip greeted them enthusiastically. "Vida and I were just hanging out, but we decided we needed a snack."

"And the sudden need for a snack hit you just as we were coming inside?" Madison questioned, placing a hand on her hip and giving him a sheepish, knowing look.

"Funny coincidence, right?" Vida answered, tugging on Chip's arm. "Come on, Chip, you have to try some of my mother's cookies." Before anyone could say anything else, she dragged him in to the kitchen.

"Either we're really bad at being nonchalant, or they're really good at figuring things out," the redhead remarked as Vida thrust a plate of cookies in his hands. She just rolled her eyes and sat at the table.

A few minutes later, the front door opened and closed again. Xander must have just left. Vida stood suddenly. "I'll be right back," she said to Chip, rushing out of the kitchen. She hurried to the front door and threw it open, glad to see her coworker still walking down the driveway.

"Xander."

At the sound of his name, he turned and watched her walk over to him. "Vida. What's up?"

Vida ignored his attempt at small talk and immediately got to her point. Regarding him with a firm expression, she spoke, "Look, I have no problem with you dating my sister." Her serious tone suddenly turned threatening, and she emphasized her next statement by poking his chest. "But if you hurt her in any way, you're dead."

Xander grinned in spite of her menacing comment, displaying his ability to remain calm even in intimidating situations. "Don't worry, Vida. I like Madison, a lot. It took me a long time to ask her out. I'm not about to ruin anything or do something to hurt her."

Surprised by the sincerity in his voice, Vida gave a firm nod. "Good. Make sure it stays that way."

With that, she turned and left Xander alone in the driveway, looking amused and just the slightest bit worried.


	9. Change

**Disclaimer: **You know how it goes.

**A/N: **Set immediately after the previous part. And thanks for the reviews!

**Change**

The previous afternoon, when Xander asked Madison on a date to the movies, she'd been pleased. Surprised and confused about how well he had hid his affections for her (or how bad she'd failed to notice them), but happy that they were, for at least one night, taking another step to the more-than-just-friends point that she wanted with him.

Their date had gone well. Up until they arrived back at her house to find Vida and Chip anxiously waiting for them, it had been a good night. Xander was, surprisingly, quite a gentleman, opening doors and paying for her movie ticket (although he obviously knew that she worked and could pay for her own). Considering they had been friends for months, their conversations weren't awkward, and the level of comfort didn't dwindle because they were on a date.

But although she was happy to have gone a date with him, she had asked him that if they continued to turn the times they spent hanging out into dates, things move slowly. She wasn't the type who rushed into things. He agreed.

He didn't wait too much longer to kiss her for the first time, though.

It happened in Xander's living room the Sunday after their date. They were sitting on the couch (not exactly cuddling, but still sitting a little too close for comfort) during a rerun of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' They'd been laughing at a joke, but he stopped abrubtly as the commercials started. He said her name, and when she turned to face him, the look in his eyes almost made her heart stop. There was so much affection shining through the happy-go-lucky sparkle that never seemed to go away. She froze; she knew what he wanted to do, but she was too nervous to move towards him. It didn't matter. After another moment, he placed his hands on her upper arms and leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. Madison's eyes closed reflexively as she kissed him back.

They broke away, and Xander's mouth curled into an adorable half smile, making her heartbeat accelerate even faster. "Was that okay?" he asked softly.

Still in a state of shock, Madison nodded. "Yeah. That…it was nice."

He gave her another gentle kiss before he turned back to the television, looking content.

When the episode ended, Madison rose from the couch. "I should go. I still have a bunch of things to do for school tomorrow."

Xander nodded and stood with her. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

With a hand on the small of her back, he led her to the front door. She was about to say goodbye when he took her hips in his hands, grinning that charming smile of his as he pulled her close. She grinned back, now expecting a kiss and not being taken aback when he closed the gap between them.

"I really better go," she said, reluctantly pushing him away after a minute. "I still have homework to finish."

The Australian pouted and lowered his head again. "Don't worry about homework. I can give you plenty of excuses that all of my teachers fall for." He kissed her again, this time fighting her when she tried to end it.

"Xander, I really have to go." Madison released herself from his grip and spoke more firmly this time. In a softer voice she said, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Xander returned the smile, finally relenting. Opening the door for her, he said, "Okay. I'll talk to you later. Good night."

"Good night."

Night hadn't fallen yet, so Madison didn't mind walking home alone. She wanted to be by herself, anyway. Her head swarmed, thinking about how much had changed between her and Xander in just one weekend. They were now past the point of 'just friends,' but they weren't a couple. What did that make them, though? Daters? Friends with benefits? She reminded herself that this was why she requested they take things slowly. She wanted to be able to take things as they came, to allow things to happen naturally, before she decided for certain exactly where she stood with him. Because with the events that had transpired during the weekend, she had no idea what would happen with their relationship in the future.


	10. Confidence

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Power Rangers.

**A/N**: Takes place a couple days after the end of Broken Spell. Set in Briarwood High School, even though it was never seen on the show.

**Confidence**

Madison tapped her pencil against her textbook absentmindedly, staring out the classroom window with her chin resting in her hand. Her head swarmed with flashes of Hidiacs and oversized monsters. The details of Mr. Stevenson's American History lecture did not make an imprint in her mind.

The newly instated blue Mystic Force Power Ranger gasped as something jabbed at the back of her shoulder. She twisted in her seat, half expecting to see an enemy footsoldier behind her, but it was only Xander, looking amused. Leaning forward in his chair, he whispered to her, "You're staring off into space again."

Madison sighed and frowned. "I can't help it. I have so much stuff on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Xander? Madison? Is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Mr. Stevenson asked sternly before Madison could answer Xander's question.

"Sorry, Mr. Stevenson," she said meekly as her classmates turned to stare in her direction. "I-"

"It's my fault," Xander interrupted. "I asked her a question about Andrew Jackson."

The teacher gave them a disbelieving look but dropped the subject and continued lecturing about the War of 1812. Madison flashed her teammate a grateful smile before turning back to the front of the classroom.

The history class droned on for another ten minutes, and Madison tried her best to concentrate, but she couldn't. She was a Power Ranger now, and history class had dropped a couple of spots on her priority list. She was relieved when the bell rang; her next period was a study hall, so she could daydream without missing important information.

Xander draped an arm around Madison's shoulders as they exited the room. "What's up, Maddie? You never have trouble paying attention in class."

"I know. But with everything that happened the other day...it's the only thing that's on my mind lately."

Xander nodded. "I've been thinking a lot about it, too. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"There's nothing I can really say in front of everyone else." Madison knew if she made the mistake of saying the wrong thing outloud, someone was bound to overhear her.

"Okay. Why don't we eat lunch outside today? We can sit in the courtyard. Not a lot of kids eat there."

Weather permitting, Briarwood High School students were allowed to eat lunch outside instead of the cafeteria, as long as they stayed within twenty-five feet of the campus. The courtyard was exactly twenty-five feet away from a side exit of the school, but most students who ate outside opted to eat near the football field so they could also walk around. "Lunch outside sounds good," she agreed as they stopped at Xander's locker.

Xander gave her a quick kiss before she continued walking through the hallway. Madison's anxieties were eased for the few moments hers and Xander's lips touched; the kisses they shared before they parted ways between classes had become enjoyable parts of the school day.

Her head started to spin again, though, as soon as she sat down in the quiet study hall classroom. She spent the entire forty minutes of her study hall lost in her thoughts. She kept a copy of The Scarlet Letter open on her desk to make it look like she was working, but she didn't turn the page once. She just couldn't get rid of the images of the Hidiacs and the sight of her friends in Power Ranger uniforms. She was looking forward to talking to Xander and getting some of her emotions off her chest.

Fourth period ended after what seemed like two hours. Madison rushed out of the classroom, happy for an opportunity to get some fresh air and have a conversation with Xander somewhere besides the cafeteria. She found her sister kneeling by her locker when she stopped to grab her lunch bag.

"Hey, sis," the DJ greeted Madison. "I'm putting my books in here for the rest of the day, okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Although Vida and Madison had the same last name, Vida's senior homeroom had lockers on the first floor, while Madison's was on the second. The classes Vida had after lunch were all on the second floor, or near the staircase, so Madison let her sister share her locker during the later part of the day. "Who are you sitting with at lunch today? Xander and I are eating outside if you want to come with us."

"That's okay. I have to sit with Chip in the cafeteria today. I promised I would since I accidentally hit him with a broom stick at work last week."

Madison giggled as she recalled the event at Rock Porium. Vida had been sweeping the floor, but she'd gotten frustrated when a customer stepped through the pile of dirt. As she went off on a barrage of complaints, she'd waved her arms around and poked Chip in the stomach with the end of the stick. "Okay. Have fun. I'll see you later."

The shy girl closed her locker and headed off to the side entrance of the school. Xander was just settling into a shady spot underneath a tree in the courtyard as she walked out the door. She walked over by him and sat crossed legged with her back against the tree. She thought it was weird that, if she wanted to, she could teleport through one of them now. She thought about trying it then and escaping to the peacefulness of Root Core, but seeing that her Power Ranger duties were causing her trouble, escaping to the source of her problem didn't make much sense.

"Gnutella?" Madison asked with a smile as she watched Xander pull a tinfoil-wrapped homemade sandwich out of his backpack. The chocolate spread was a staple in the Bly house and a frequent lunchtime cuisine for Xander.

"Of course. Does that surprise you?"

"Nope. I have to say it doesn't."

They grinned at each other and took a minute to take some bites of their lunches, satisfying their hungry stomachs.

"So tell me," Xander spoke after he swallowed a sip of soda, "what's on your mind?"

Madison locked eyes with Xander for a moment, picking at her sandwich as she contemplated how to express her thoughts. "I'm just overwhelmed, I guess. This Power Ranger business is a lot to handle. There are six hundred high school students in Briarwood, and we're the ones who were chosen to protect the entire world. Doesn't it scare you?"

Xander shook his head, giving her a quizzical look. "No."

"Come on, Xander. Haven't you been wondering why all this is happening to us, and not another group of teenagers?"

"You think anyone else would really believe in all this magic and spell stuff?" the Australian asked matter-of-factly.

"I guess not. But we didn't at first, either, and now we do. Anyone else probably would have gotten used to it, too, after they experienced what we did. But that's not my point. What I'm saying is..." her voice trailed off. She knew whatever she would say wouldn't make sense. Her mind was a huge jumble of thoughts, and she couldn't keep them all organized. "Never mind."

Xander stared at her for a moment, but he didn't urge her to keep talking. "I think it's great. We're heroes, Maddie. People look up to us. Don't you love the feeling you get knowing you're making a difference in someone's life every single day?"

After he said that, Madison remembered the afternoon almost a year ago when she ran into Xander at the food store, helping his elderly neighbor shop for groceries. Knowing that he had a compassionate nature buried somewhere under his fun-loving, happy-go-lucky personality, it made sense that he saw the role of a Power Ranger as a person who influenced the lives of other people.

Then she recalled the way he had acted when the Woodland villagers had knelt before them. "_I always wondered what it would feel like to be worshipped,"_ he had remarked. Vida had rolled her eyes at him, but maybe there was a more sincere meaning behind the statement. He must have liked the feeling of people thinking highly of him. And maybe that was why he liked taking charge at Rock Porium. Chip and Vida accused him of being a suck-up to Toby, but maybe he just wanted to be looked up to.

_He has all the confidence in the world, and most of the time, it drives other people crazy,_ Madison thought as she opened a bag of pretzels. _But if I can find the good side underneath his cockiness,_ _why can't I be that positive when I think about being a Power Ranger? Why is this scaring me to death?_ "I get what you're saying," she said out loud, "but I'm having trouble seeing it the way you see it. All the pressure and the injuries and being faced with evil all the time…do you worry about it a lot?"

"Sure I do. But you won't get through it if you let it cause you so much trouble. Going through something like this, you need to be strong."

The brunette frowned. "Maybe I don't have the strength that I thought I did. I don't know how much I can handle all the battling and all the evilness."

"Maddie, don't be ridiculous. You _are_ a strong person. When you let go of all your doubts and insecurities, you'll realize that. And when you think about how much good we're doing with our powers, getting through the bad stuff is a lot more worthwhile."

_And people think he's just a shallow teenaged boy._ Madison smiled to herself, chewing on a pretzel thoughtfully. She could be strong. She could forget about her insecurities and her anxieties and learn to be more positive about the situation. Being more open to and accepting of her powers, like Xander was of his, would surely be better than second-guessing herself. "I guess you're right," she told him. "Maybe I just need some more time to get used to everything. It still just feels so scary to me. I've never just rushed into something huge like this before."

"It is a big change," the green ranger agreed. He stuck the last bite of his Gnutella sandwich in his mouth. "But you know what else helps?"

"What?"

"Knowing you're not going through it alone."

The admiration Madison had for Xander's optimism at that moment was stronger than the admiration she'd had for him at the food store a year ago, and probably even stronger than any admiration she'd had for anyone else, ever. She took a long sip from her water bottle and considered telling him how much she appreciated his positive attitude. But when she opened her mouth, she lost the courage to voice her thoughts out loud and instead said, "I'm glad we're going through this together."

He grinned at her reassuringly and rubbed her knee. "Yeah. Me, too."

The bell rang a few minutes later, signaling the end of the lunch period.

Xander gripped Madison's shoulder as they entered the building together. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah. I'm sure I'll be fine," Madison replied with a nod.

But even as she headed towards her Algebra II classroom, the blue ranger couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of self-doubt. Xander was so encouraging when he had talked to her outside, and so far it wasn't even helping.

Even her other teammates had much more confidence in themselves. _"I kicked some serious butt back there!_" Madison remembered her sister saying. And Chip had fought like he was a character out of one of the video games he often played.

Nick had been doubtful at first, much like she was feeling at the moment. He'd almost given up on them. But Madison didn't want to do that to her friends and teammates. She didn't want to let everyone down because of her uncertainty. Xander was right. She'd be a much better ranger if she found a way to believe in herself.

Madison hesitated outside the classroom. After clearing her head for a second, she walked through the door with her head held high. Having confidence in Algebra class didn't seem like much compared to the confidence she'd need in the middle of a battle, but she needed to start somewhere.


	11. Competition

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Power Rangers.

**A/N:** This takes place during the end of 'Rock Solid' and shortly after the episode ends.

**Competition**

Nick Russell was ruining everything in Briarwood.

It might have been an exaggeration, albeit a slight one. Or maybe Xander was just frustrated. But he hated the way Nick always seemed to get on his nerves, even when they weren't in the same room as each other.

He slammed his skateboarding helmet on the counter as he walked through the entrance of Rock Porium, not looking forward to continuing his shift after defeating Clawbster. Exercise was supposed to relieve stress, but even after skateboarding through Briarwood for over a half hour, Xander wasn't feeling much better. And at the moment, Nick was the cause of his negative attitude.

The green ranger had had his suspicions about Nick from the start. Madison had a certain kind of look on her face, an expression of intrigued curiosity, when they first saw him sitting by the tree outside Rock Porium. But then Vida was the one who offered to follow him into the woods, so that eased his suspicion a little. Until they all returned from the woods, and Madison snuck outside to try and convince Nick to join the team.

Xander knew he was obligated to tolerate the guy. Nick was the leader, after all. But here he comes out of nowhere, all worried about fixing his bike because he needed to get to a place that he'd end up leaving two weeks later anyway, thinking he knew everything about Briarwood after being there for ten minutes. And then ten days pass. And suddenly Nick thinks he knows everything about his teammates and he could tell Madison that she needed to change her personality. Leaders were supposed to be supportive of their team, not accusatory or belittling. Besides, what did he know? He had said out loud that he didn't get close to people, so he wouldn't know the first thing about accepting people for who they were.

"I've been trying so hard to change."

It had taken a few minutes, but Xander had finally gotten into a productive mood and was hanging signs on the wall behind the front desk. His ears perked up at Madison's comment to Vida as they carried a huge garbage bag out the front door. "What Xander said to me the other day, about not worrying so much," she continued, "it really helped me realize that I need to believe in myself more. I guess I need to try harder."

_No, you don't have to try harder, Maddie,_ Xander thought haughtily. _Ugh! I knew I should have said something to Nick back at Root Core._ The thought had crossed his mind, but he bit his tongue, instead giving the biker a dirty look and sparing him a second scolding in front of Clare and Udonna before Vida started playing Madison's film. Now, he definitely wasn't going to let this go without confronting Nick about it.

He didn't have to wait long to find a chance to do so. Nick appeared behind the counter just as Xander was placing one last piece of tape on a poster. Climbing down from the step ladder, he scoffed, "You know, some of us like Madison exactly the way she is. How much could you possibly know about her already?"

Nick turned, a surprised expression on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"You know it's your fault that Madison got turned into stone, right?"

"I said one thing that she took personally, and the entire thing is my fault?"

"Yes. Nothing would have ever happened to her if you didn't insult her."

"I didn't insult her!"

Madison and Vida came back in the store again, and Xander waited until they were out of earshot before he retorted, "Her feelings were obviously pretty hurt if you made her run out of the store."

Nick narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "And you just dismissed it as being a 'woman' thing."

"That was before I knew what you said to her!" Xander defended himself.

"Okay, seriously. The whole thing is over and done with. Can't you just drop it?"

"No," Xander replied in a firm voice. "It's not right for you to pass judgment on someone you don't even know."

"Guys, are you fighting over what happened before?" Madison asked, stepping between them to grab a pile of receipts from under the counter. She looked sad, Xander noticed, and even a bit disappointed, probably because she just wanted to forget the incident and she didn't want her teammates arguing about it. Before either of the guys could respond, she squeezed Xander's shoulder and said, "Xander, I appreciate you sticking up for me, but just...calm down. It's really okay. Nick apologized, I forgave him, and everything's fine now."

It was a different feeling for Xander, being told to calm down even though he was the one who liked to keep others from arguing. That wasn't to say he didn't speak his mind if he thought he was right about something. And he was, in this case, even if Madison didn't acknowledge it.

But everything wasn't fine. Especially after Ben showed up and asked Madison on a date.

Xander watched bitterly as they left together, laughing and chatting happily. He and Madison weren't an official couple, and they never said they couldn't see other people. He hadn't given up talking to girls since he started dating her. And he still enjoyed chatting up the cute girls that entered the store, although he was careful about not flirting with someone else in the presence of Madison, or even Vida. But he'd never expected Ben to come see her again, and he didn't like it.

Madison was already smitten with and way too forgiving towards Nick. And now she had a good-looking athlete taking her on a date. Xander didn't need another guy coming between his relationship with her, stealing her away from him.

But he was more than willing to participate in the competition for Madison's heart. When it came to the people he cared most about, he didn't let them out of his life without a fight. And he would find a way to win. This was one competition in which he wouldn't back down to anyone.


End file.
